The Lycanthrope Tails. Chapter 32.
The Lycanthrope Tails
Chapter 32
By Roofles
"Hello, brother." Ambrose took a heavy step forward, crushing a small bush under one paw and nearly uprooting a tree as he forced his way between two of them in the dense forest. The massive crimson red fur wolf had a nasty cut on one side of his muzzle; a wound that left such a scar could only have been done by another werewolf.
Dakota was in a daze. He had let his guard down, allowing this other Blood Moon wolf to sneak up on him. Allowing anyone to sneak up on him. Dakota had been caught day dreaming; his pants, metaphorically, down when his own flesh and blood found him after all these years.
So many thoughts rushed through his mind the russet red wolf could only take a timid step back, hesitating for the first time in his life. Dakota knew him, he recognized him by Ambrose's scent. It had been so long; Dakota had thought all the others of his clan had died. To think another, like him, existed in this world...
"How? Everyone... that night..." Dakota shook his head, regaining some composure. Ambrose just watched him in great amusement, reveling in Dakota's befuddlement.
"I thought the very same." And the crimson red wolf reached over to snag a clump of Dakota's fur from a branch, sniffing at it. Dakota had been marking out their territory and it seemed Ambrose had caught his scent. "Until today that is." Ambrose flicked the scrap of fur from his fingers.
Ambrose took another step forward and Dakota matched it; the two beginning to circle each other as they inspected one another. To any other wolf it would have looked as if they were sizing each other up, about to fight on the spot. It was just a natural way of greeting one another in the Blood Moon clan - if one lowered their guard however, blood would be shed.
A form of greeting, a test of strengths and possible death. That was the Blood Moons in a nutshell.
"You seem to be doing well for yourself." Ambrose spoke up, his voice heavy and held a laugh to it as he toyed with the words. Dakota couldn't tell what he really meant, those eyes a mystery as Ambrose sniffed at his tail now. Those sharp eyes never fully straying from Dakota as they continued to circle each other.
"I could say the same for you." Dakota chuckled darkly. "Got all fours legs. Even managed to keep that scrap you call a tail." The wolf had brought up Ambrose's cropped tail, half of it was missing from a childhood fight. While most injuries healed nearly instantaneously; a wound from another werewolf could be fatal or at least permanent.
Ambrose was a beat up looking wolf, unlike Dakota. One of his ears was nearly missing as if something had taken a bite out of it. One side of his muzzle was scarred up badly exposing the tips of his fangs. Ambrose was covered in cuts all over his crimson fur body. The fur unable to grow back over most of them leaving him looking dilapidated as if his pelt was about to fall off any second.
Ambrose nearly stopped at that, flashing his fangs at the insult. But held back. The wolf just chuckling darkly himself now as they continued to circle one another; Dakota could smell the other wolf's bloodlust in the air. He needed to keep Ambrose busy until he got bored and left. Or at least that was the best outcome.
Dakota really didn't wish to fight his own brother. Let alone it getting out another blood moon wolf was here; a part of him worrying that Jared would find him less interesting if he wasn't the only one left. It had been a blow to his pride.
"I've done well enough." Ambrose nodded, agreeing with him. "There was this lovely... farming family just around the bend; tasting snack for the trip." The wolf licked his lips, almost drooling at the thought of the meal still digesting in his stomach. "If I've known it was you I'd have invited you along, brother." Ambrose smiled wickedly as if knowing Dakota's dirty secret.
A full belly would make the other wolf slower than Dakota; he could take him if it came to a fight. Ambrose might be baiting him by saying it, yet at the same time, the wolf had shown his hand on the matter. An empty stomach was all the motivation a Blood Moon wolf needed.
"It's outside my territory." Dakota stretched the truth, not about to bring Jared into this. "Why should I care?" And the russet red wolf shrugged a heavy shoulder. Honestly, Dakota couldn't care less about some random human family that had been too weak to defend themselves. The weak died, that's all there was in the end with nature.
Ambrose did stop at that and Dakota matched him, freezing in place as the crimson red wolf lifted his nose up a bit, sniffing the air. Ambrose exposed his neck but Dakota knew that was a trap. Such an easily exploited weak spot would've been covered by a skilled killer like Ambrose. Even Dakota knew a trick or two to turn the tables in such a situation.
After all these years apart, why was Ambrose playing such games with him?
"The nearby town seemed to be recovering nicely after the attack." Ambrose licked his lips again, his tongue stopping at where the scar was and retreating back into his muzzle. That seemed to put him in a sour mood as he glared at his seemingly perfect brother. "Still alive. Fresh. Cattle. Waiting to be harvested."
Ambrose was messing with him now, using such key words to trigger some sort of response from Dakota. The other wolf recognized the ploy instantly; more curious about how Ambrose had known about what had been going on in his life than the bait. Had his brother been keeping an eye on him? And if so, why hadn't he shown himself sooner?
"Heard about that, huh?" Dakota just stopped then and took a heavy seat, the action made Ambrose's neck fur stand up at the gesture. It was an insult to just sit like that. This wasn't a normal battle Dakota was used to fighting; a battle of pride. "It wasn't much. Just killing some emo vampire coven, wiping out a human city... destroying a Titan."
Ambrose took a seat to match him begrudgingly so, the other wolf was already beginning to crack under the taunts. "Oh, the rumors spreading about that night. No one can shut about them, even as you're eating their guts from their belly..." The crimson wolf gave a devilish grin. "I know the truth, though. You, you sick bastard." Ambrose laughed. It had been a compliment and the wolf's sour appearance brightened. "Can't believe it. The whole city? Challenging the gods? It's almost... too good to be true." And Ambrose glared at his brother now suspiciously, as if accusing him of something.
Ambrose face cracked into a smile and, if only for a second, Dakota had thought his brother was glad to see him after all these years of solitude.
"I've been busy." Dakota just shrugged a shoulder, he lifted one hand making Ambrose tail twitch; Dakota just licked over his fingers, cleaning them casually. "I thought it might be fun to play Alpha for a while." Dakota lied once more, as easily as he breathed. He had to get all focus off of anyone else and only on him.
Ambrose eye twitched as he watched the wolf clean himself so laid-back as if not worried about a thing. As if Ambrose wasn't even worth the bother. If it was any other wolf, Ambrose would've already killed them.
The wolf took a heavy breath and forced a grin as he continued their pleasant chat. "I also heard you formed a pack..." Ambrose brought up reluctantly as if not wanting to mention it.
"Well, without the others around, I thought I'd miss it." And Dakota just shrugged once more disinterest in the whole thing. Ambrose eyes narrowed. "I didn't." And Dakota licked his chops, patting his stomach with that paw now. "Made for a nice, delicious treat however..."
Ambrose took a moment on that. Then his grin split his muzzle in two and he laughed. A boastful, load sound as he slapped one paw against the ground. "Ah, brilliant. Brilliant! That's the Dakota I recall. A cruel fucker without a single care in the world for another." Ambrose let out a relieved sigh and shook his head. "And here they had told me you had tucked tail and become some... some... sort of pet!" The wolf shuddered at the thought as if it was the gravest of insults. "If that was truly the case; I was here to kill you." And Ambrose just laughed at the threat he so easily made.
They both knew just how truthful those words were. Family or not. Blood Moons were killers above all else.
Dakota's ear twitched at that, not the threat. He was expecting that since he saw the other wolf. It was the other thing the crimson wolf let slip. "They?" Dakota asked, both his large triangular ears turning towards Ambrose now. Dakota had been checking for anyone else in the area before focusing his attention back on his brother. "They who, brother?"
Dakota figured if he brought back valuable information to Jared, his mate would overlook not mention his brother in the future.
The wolf felt something, someone else with the other wolf on his arrival. Yet, looking around and sniffing at the air; he sensed no one else here. It would be troublesome if something had gotten past while Ambrose was keeping him occupied. Was that what the other wolf was after?
Dakota wasn't good at this, this was something Frostbite should be doing.
"Well, yeah. You didn't think they'd just stop with you, right?" Ambrose asked with a shifty grin, seeing the look on his brother's face. "Oh? You didn't know?"
Dakota only frowned, his ears still up and alert as his brother mocked him.
"How about this, dear little brother." Ambrose stood back up and motioned with his head, towards the neighboring town. "Let's blow off some steam in that human town and I'll tell you everything. After." Ambrose smiled in delight at the idea. "That family of four just didn't hit the spot... I still hunger." And Ambrose drooled. "It's been far too long since I've been able to let loose. It'd be just like old times, brother..."
There was a madness in those eyes, something Dakota recognized all too well. If it hadn't been for Jared, calming that gluttonous beast inside, he would have those same eyes today. Seeing Ambrose in front of him now brought up all of Dakota's doubts and fears; it was like looking into a mirror of himself. Months ago, before he had met Jared.
Where the only thing that could quench the endless hunger inside was the hunt. Things were different now.
Dakota shifted uncomfortably at that. He held no illusion or concern for the safety or wellbeing of those in the town. It was what it meant if he just agreed to such a thing. A part of Dakota wanted too, savoring in the thought of the unwarranted destruction on the helpless little lambs so close he could actually smell them.
He didn't dare risk a thing for fear of Jared getting on him about it. Dakota didn't feel like being scolded, let alone on a full stomach.
Ambrose flexed his front legs, gritting his teeth and Dakota recognized that posture now. It was what he himself did before he grew in size. Giving into the hunger and bloodlust inside, letting it fuel the growth in order to feed it.
Did Ambrose want them both to go mega wolf on the small town just around the bend? It'd be over kill. Together, the human settlement would be wiped off the map before sundown.
And. Standing there, Dakota could see what a monster looked like; what he must look like to the others. The look in Ambrose's eyes said it all.
"We all have a choice on who we wish to be." Jared had told him one night after a bad episode; Dakota nearly snapping himself and giving into that blood lust at the car that had almost hit them. Jared had just held his face, looking into his eyes with that sweet smile on his muzzle. "Easy. Don't force it. You are better than this, stronger than this. Dakota. Choose to be a monster or be with me..."
Dakota moved quickly. Even with Ambrose ready for it the crimson red wolf wasn't expecting the sheer force of the hit. Dakota tackled him with his whole body, the failed transformation of the other wolf left him shaken as he was slammed against a tree. The tree's trunk broke from the force.
Ambrose, even shaken, dug his front paws into Dakota's shoulders deep enough to draw blood through his thick hide. The other wolf was grinning madly, soaking in the feel of this as Dakota snapped at his neck with razor sharp fangs. Ambrose let his brother catch just the very edge of his crimson red fur, then face checked him; bringing his forehead down hard on Dakota's muzzle the second those teeth clamped down on his battered hide.
Dakota pulled back with just a clump of fur in his teeth, those fingers ripping out of his shoulders blades as he did so. Dakota created as much space between the two as he could after that. Dakota shoulders were bleeding, his nose having been broken from the blow he received and Ambrose was only shaken up a bit. Failing the transformation left a toll on Ambrose's body.
There was a cost to their growth. The process of turning was painful, agonizing and costed a heavy toll on their body. If someone managed to stop it, that would be the perfect time to take them out; something only another Blood Moon wolf would know however.
The smell of blood in the air was making the crimson wolf laugh, a deep satisfying sound as he recovered.
"Ah, I knew there was something off about you!" Ambrose laughed even louder as he shook his face and neck, his body and legs. The exhilaration of this running through his whole body. "Damn. It's good to feel this again. Been too damn long." And he fully bared his fangs at Dakota. "You really are a fucking traitor to the pack!"
"The pack is dead, numb nuts." Dakota spat to the side, popping his neck and stretching out his shoulders. The wounds were already healing and Dakota licked the blood from his snout. "All dead and gone. And forgotten..."
Ambrose ear flicked at that. "Watch your tongue, welp!"
"They killed themselves, why should I care?" Dakota just laughed back.
"Wait..." The wolf stopped then, Ambrose's grin only widening now. "Do you not know why it happened? Why the other wolves gave into their bloodlust and turned on each other that night? Why are pack is dead!" He snapped his teeth at his brother now rage and hatred written all over his scared crimson fur face.
Dakota folded his ears back now, snarling himself. It was enough of an answer for Ambrose.
"Hah! No wonder why you would stoop to their level." And Ambrose tossed his snout towards the town. "A weak, nurtured pet..." Ambrose snarled now in disgust as he turned his muzzle back towards Dakota. "Just a slave to the gods..."
Dakota didn't care as he attacked once more. He lifted his arm up, using his full weight and strength to overpower the other wolf; just as he had done with Raith. Dakota brought his whole arm down with the blow, throwing his body weight into it as that clawed paw went for Ambrose's face. Dakota had planned on taking his bottom muzzle off with the blow.
Dakota had stopped trucks before. Had fought off an entire pack by himself. He faced monsters that lurked in the darkest of nightmares. His strength had been unmatched, unquestioning as countless adversaries lay dead behind him.
And Ambrose had caught his attack.
One paw shifting into a hand at the last second and with his own overwhelming strength, held back Dakota assault. Ambrose's hind paws dug into the ground, his body moving back as Dakota had thrown his weight at him. The two skidding back in the dirty several inches as Ambrose.
And once more, Dakota had been caught off guard as Ambrose brought his other hand up in a swift, merciless punch to Dakota's stomach. The wolf nearly hurled as his brother swung him around into a tree and let go.
Ambrose laughed as Dakota coughed, wincing as he slowly got back up. The crimson wolf just reveling in all of this, soaking in the feel of an actual fight again. It had been a first time for Dakota to fight someone of equal strength like this. His pride wouldn't allow him to think Ambrose was indeed stronger than him. Dakota couldn't let anyone be stronger than he was.
The second someone was, who would protect Jared from them?
"Look how soft they've made you." Ambrose was standing up tall, over ten feet as he looked down at his brother in pity. Or maybe it was just revulsion that someone of his own flesh and blood could be this pathetic. "Playing pet has made you weak." Ambrose took a step forward, jabbing a claw finger at him as he accused him of the sin. "Weak! Useless! Worthless!"
Such sins would get you tossed out of the Blood Moon clan or outright killed on the spot.
Ambrose grabbed hold of the scruff of Dakota's neck, lifting him off the ground and angling the claws on his other hand upwards towards his brother's throat.
Then stopped.
One of his ears lifting up as he heard it, far to the south. A howl from an unfamiliar wolf.
"Ah." Ambrose finally got it, looking back towards his brother. "So that's how it is... They're calling you home." And he chuckled, slowly backing away with raised arms as he let him go. "Wonder what they'll think when I arrive instead? Fill my belly with your pathetic pack..." And Ambrose exposed his back.
The crimson red wolf was ready for Dakota's desperate counter-attack. Turning around quickly and slashing out at where his face should have been; yet missing. Dakota hadn't gone for Ambrose's back as he had originally thought he would, exposing it on purpose. Dakota was still in wolf form and had latched his teeth around one of Ambrose's ankles instead.
Dakota's fangs ripped through the thin fur around it as if it were nothing but wet paper. He could taste the iron of Ambrose's blood fill his muzzle as he cleanly snapped the hock, just above the rear foot, to pieces. And then tearing it off as he leapt back with it in his muzzle.
Ambrose howled in pain at that, swinging his arm wide at Dakota's face. The russet red wolf had already jumped back, grinning as he spat the shredded pieces of Ambrose's hind leg to the ground. It crippled the other wolf who began bleeding profusely from the wolf bite. Dakota's saliva already getting to work to make it bleed endlessly.
There was a saying in the Blood Moon pack. A single bite was all they needed to take down a god.
"Heh, heh." Ambrose only smiled. "Smart. Fucking damn smart of ya." And he licked his lips, eyes still wide as he savored this. All of it.
The Blood Moon clan lived for the fight, the thrill of battle. Thrill of combat. The smell of blood, the adrenaline rush from a life and death fight. It was intoxicating, arousing and stimulating in ways that didn't affect the other wolf clans; forever separating them from each other.
"Can't go chasing those pathetic excuses for wolves now, can I?" Ambrose hit himself in the chest hard. Dakota just watched as he hit himself again, and again. Cutting up his arms with his claws and laughing. "Like I give two shits about them! All I wanted was you, brother. The real you!"
Ambrose dove at Dakota. And the two met, snapping at each other and clawing at the others thick hide. They were covered in blood be it from the other or their own as they rolled over, Dakota biting down on Ambrose's shoulder and the crimson red wolf catching his neck, trying to snap it from behind; an arm around Dakota's neck.
Dakota smacked the top of his head against Ambrose's chin. Ambrose just gritted his teeth as he continued to choke the life out of his brother. Dakota did it twice more until Ambrose's fangs broke against his own muzzle and the crimson red wolf was forced to pull back and let go of Dakota. That was when the wolf, like an agitated horse, kicked him right in the stomach with a hind leg.
Ambrose wasn't used to being in a fair fight either, having caught Dakota off guard to begin with. Now they kept their distance from each other, the two bleeding profusely all over as they tried to recover from the damage done. One of the strongest things about a werewolf was their regenerative properties after all.
"Hah, I can smell it." Ambrose licked his bloody muzzle hungrily. "Smell your fear." The wolf jowls lifted even higher in a sickening smile of red. "Are you so worried about your wittle pack, brother?"
Dakota didn't answer him, just panting openly himself. He was afraid. Not for his own life but for what it meant if he fell here. His brother would run wild and kill everyone West of the Rocky Mountains. Just for kicks and giggles. That's what the Blood Moon wolves did.
"Give into your hate. Your anger. Become what you were born to be, damnit!" Ambrose shouted, still hysterical with delight at their fight. The blood in the air was making his head swim. Almost like a high he laughed as he breathed it all in. "Your job was to kill that pack, not join them!" Ambrose took a step forward with his good leg, his other limping behind. "To kill every last one of them; wipe out the other clans and help revive ours! Why else would we let you go!"
Dakota spat to the side. "So?" He just asked with a half laugh. Maybe back in the day this would have been something of importance to the wolf. Maybe he would have turned on the pack if Ambrose had come to him sooner. This wasn't that old pack led by a half-blind Alpha. Dakota had found what it was he had been searching for after all these years.
A place he belonged.
Ambrose clutched one hand into a fist so tight his claws dug into the palm, drawing blood. It spilled over the forest floor. His teeth gritted and the other wolf looked as if he was about to go into a blind rage. "I can't believe you're the last fucking hope for our clan..." Ambrose eye twitched, pure utter hate filling him. Those eyes began to turn red with blood. "Weak. Pathetic. Useless..." Ambrose chewed on the words, his gums getting bloody from it. "If only I were still..."
Ambrose flexed once more, his shoulders filling out as his head dropped. He was going to try and grow again, even if Dakota attacked him he would force the transformation. The blood rush was already taking the other wolf. There was no way of stopping him without outright killing Ambrose now. It might cost both of them their lives in the process. And Dakota was ready for that, or so he thought.
Dakota hesitated as he took only a single step forward, cursing at his own nerves as he didn't stop his brother. Dakota, was afraid to die. Or rather, afraid to leave his mate alone. Ambrose continued to grow.
"Never again, do I want to be alone." Dakota had thought. "He won't be either."
The russet red wolf just did the first thing that came to mind as Ambrose grew, towering over him now as his muscles expanding underneath that shifting crimson red fur. Bones breaking, ribs cracking as the other wolf's chest filled out, legs enlarging as those massive paws crushed the ground underneath from his sheer weight. Ambrose's arms hung lower, his hands crashing to the ground as his drool muzzle reared overhead blocking out the sun above.
Dakota knew this forest better than anyone these days and quickly found what he had been looking for. Sinking his claws into the half buried boulder, he ripped it out of the ground. And as Ambrose let out a blood chilling howl, smashed said boulder right between the exposed crimson red wolf's legs...
Ambrose toppled over like a tree, Dakota having to back pedal several feet as to not get crushed under his brother.
"You... dick..." Ambrose whimpered, holding his groin as big fat crocodile tears appeared at the corner of his eyes. "Low blow, bro. Low. Blow." He squeaked in a high voice. "Cunt faced-,"
And Dakota took one of the fallen tree and brought the whole thing down on him with enough force that the russet red wolf bounced off the ground. Dakota repeated the process as if it were a rolled up newspaper and Ambrose was a stubborn cockroach that wouldn't die.
Dakota was licking one of his wounds as Ambrose groaned, pushing the tree off several hits later. The crimson fur wolf had shrunk back to his original, still impressively large size and was splayed out over the forest floor, groveling before his brother whether he liked it or not.
"And people call me... a monster..." Ambrose got up on weak legs, still covering his groin with one hand. Regeneration didn't do anything to stop the pain.
"Submit." Dakota voice was low, threatening. It didn't explain the smug smile on his face. "I. Won." Dakota was grinning widely, toothily down at his brother. Pride welling up in his chest at the victory.
Ambrose tried to rise. Dakota placed one heavy foot right on his face, forcing him back down against the dirt roughly. Grinding his heel against the other wolf's face. Ambrose bared his fangs, snarling up at him between his toes.
"Sub." Dakota leaned down to get right up in his face. "Mitt. Bitch." He added on.
Ambrose broke the gaze, looking away from him and Dakota took that as his win. He lifted his tail high, rolling both shoulders back and stepped off the other wolf; dropping back down to all fours and shifting into a wolf once more.
Ambrose claws tore into the ground as he pushed himself up, his body seemed to have grown far heavier than it was at the defeat. His head was low, shoulders slouched and the other wolf couldn't even look at his brother now.
"I failed..." Ambrose said aloud, in pure disbelief.
"Yeah, ya' did." Dakota just chuckled, taking a heavy seat once more. "Now tell me everything."
Ambrose glared up at him, keeping his head low. The wolf already had to swallow his pride. Now he was also expected to turn traitor?
"You were going too anyways, brother." Dakota just glared back, matching that gaze and increasing it tenfold as he bared his teeth.
"You should already know, anyways." Ambrose choked out, gagging on the words. Ambrose nearly threw up having to swallow the bile back down. "The gods are the reason our clan is dead..."
Dakota just frowned at that. "And?" He asked, waiting for some other grand reveal in this all. He hated dealing with puppets, preferring to go after the ones pulling the strings.
"Isn't that enough?" Ambrose spat now in front of him. "No one is sure of the details. We just know they had a hand in turning the clan against themselves."
"We?" The russet red fur wolf asked again, focusing on those behind all this. If he could just sink his teeth into their throat, maybe they could live in peace for once. He and Jared that is.
Ambrose gritted his teeth, just glaring at him now with folded ears.
"Fine, whatever." Dakota just rolled his eyes. "My pack and I are strong enough to face off whatever comes, god or otherwise." And the wolf stood up.
There was another howl again, Jared calling him home.
"I'm leaving." Dakota just turned his back on the other wolf, walking away as if the two weren't covered in each other's blood from the fight.
"You're just going to let me go?" Ambrose was suspicious, his eyes darting to one side then the other.
"I care not what you do so long as you don't harm anyone in my territory or of my pack." Dakota looked back without turning his head. "I have already killed one god," Dakota stretched the truth on that one talking about the titan they had fought. "What chance do you have?" And he gave one final snarl before taking off.
Ambrose muzzle twitched. Wanting to snarl, bite out. To claw at the nearby trees and release all this built-up hate. Anger making his fur bristle up and rage pumping through his blood. He could easily push himself, to become a dire wolf once more and attack this pack. Attack the town. Attack the whole west coast!
But he lost. If it wasn't to another Blood Moon clan member, that rule wouldn't exactly apply. Ambrose was the last real member, trying to keep their dead traditions alive. The conflicted interests were tearing himself apart.
Ambrose just clawed at his own face in confused rage.
"Where the hell is he?" Jared was outside, waiting for Dakota when their guest arrived.
Jared didn't even sense their presence until they walked out into view from the front porch of the cabin. Jared was resting against the railing, his wolfen ears sticking up as he saw the suit come out. Jared reverted back to his human form quickly, wincing at the process and walking around to greet them at first seeing them only as a human.
"Evening." The man waved towards them. He was a short fellow, wearing an expensive suit. Jared could instantly tell he wasn't a human now. It also explained how he managed to sneak up on them. "Fine day we're having." The man spoke up, gesturing up at the clear blue sky above.
"Peaceful one too." Jared mentioned, making it clear there better not be a fight. Moss walker, the smaller brown fur wolf, had come out to see who Jared was talking too. The wolf growled low behind him; Jared just put a hand on the back of his head. Even a newbie like Moss could tell this human before them wasn't what he appeared to be.
"That it is. Be terrible if something were to happen." The other man just nodded, walking closer with both hands tucked into his pockets.
"You're also already surrounded." Jared mentioned, resting against the railing on the porch once more. The other man didn't even seem to notice as the wolves stepped out from behind the trees and cars blocking his escape. "What business do you have with me?"
"Ah, the Alpha." The man nodded glad he could meet him so soon. It'd be a pain to have to drag him out into the open. "Good, good! This'll be all the easier then." And the man took something out of his pocket making them all tense. "I have a business proposition for you!" He said loudly, motion down over his suit as if to explain that was why he was wearing the thing to begin with.
"What kind of proposition...?"
Shortly after, Jared found himself inside sitting at the table once more inside the cabin. The man was on the other side with folded hands and a peaceful smile on his face. Frostbite was at Jared's side, he knew Sveil was hidden behind the stranger waiting for him to do something to provoke the shadow wolf. The other wolves kept their distance.
"Would it be easier if I showed my true form? This guise is a little... constricting." The man only laughed, giving him a single fanged smile. "You must know how that is..." He added looking at Jared who had fully taken human form.
"There is no disguise for me. This is who I am, also." Jared just replied coldly. He knew better than to let his guard down these days, still he didn't feel any sort of killing intent coming off the other man. With everyone else coming to his doorstep these days it seemed only natural someone would try to hire them out to take care of something or someone.
"Peace, wolves. Peace." The man only laughed as he raised both hands up. With a single hand, the stranger wiped it over his face. As that hand moved past his face the human mask disappeared leaving something looking like a lynx behind. "I'm just the messenger." The cat smiled, adjusting his tie a bit so it wasn't so constricting around his fluffy neck.
"For who?" Frostbite just asked from across the table. The wolf's ears were up and alert, waiting as well for this feline to try and pull something. Frostbite could sit at the table without a chair just fine due to his size.
"Well, you've met them before I do believe..." The cat scratched his chin, thinking about it. The others tensed at that. "I suppose, you could say I'm a messenger of The Gods." And the feline just smiled at the honorary title.
"What could your gods have with a lowly pack like ours..." Frostbite was the one to ask, the wolf frowning now at the fluffy white and gray lynx.
"As I said, I came with a business offer for you lot." The messenger lip twitched and for a second his claws extended from his fingers. Then he just relaxed back with a laugh, clapping his hands together. "My apologies, being in a wolf den is not my idea of good time, you see. I hope you understand," he added giving a nod towards Jared.
"Of course." Jared just ignored it, he could already see through the lynx's fake smile. The feline was on edge, not that he blamed him being surrounded by wolves. It was clear he didn't want to be here anymore than they wanted him here. "I'll listen to this offer, at the very least. Would you like anything?" He added on motioning towards the fridge.
"No." The lynx said a bit harshly before forcing that smile once more. "Thank you. I rather not extend this visit anymore than need be, you understand." He brought up again.
Jared just nodded at that. He motioned with a hand and the other stray wolves left them, Frostbite and Grimjaw remained behind with their guest. They'd be more than enough if things got violent.
"We have been keeping an eye on you after what happened... here. In this town." The lynx frowned a bit more at that unable to believe the wolves would just come back to the scene of the crime so casually and take it over. The place stunk of dog. "Then there was the whole... thing up North." The lynx tried not to go into heavy detail, hoping they'd understand with as little words as possible. The messenger was rushing this.
"About that." Jared was the one to ask now. "The city. All those people." And his fingers dug into the table, cracking the glass cover of it. "Were you going to do something about that, sooner?" Jared gritted his teeth unable to stop the fur from appearing on his cheeks.
The lynx raised up both hands. "I don't know. Not my job department." The cat shook his head. "Different branch that deals with that sort of thing."
Jared let out his breath, unaware he had been holding it a second ago. He had to relax. This whole thing smelled of bureaucrats; Jared had always hated politicians. They were always too late to help out those in need, pushing the less fortunate back to make sure all the paper work was filled out and their own asses were covered first.
Even with the high and mighty it seemed they had their own way of doing things.
"All my job is and has been, going around to make sure the messages get to the right people." The lynx clearly could care less about what had happened up North. The messenger disgruntled by the whole thing. It had caused mountains of work for them to do to cover it all up and deal with it. "Our number one priority has, and always will be, to make sure the humans aren't aware of us."
"Even if it costs an entire town?" Jared broke through the glass now with one hand. He tried to appear as if the glass digging into his palm was on purpose.
"Necessary sacrifices." The lynx just said coldly.
Jared jumped up at that. "Thousands are dead and your telling me it was necessary?" He spat the words across the table at the feline. The lynx stood up as well, the other wolves rising with him.
"What did you expect us to do?" The lynx snarled back at him, Jared's face having turned wolfish. Threatening.
"Anything! Any fucking thing! Rather than sitting on your asses, worrying about how to cover that shit up." Jared only snapped back, slamming his hand on the table with enough force to break it in half.
"You understand nothing, mongrel." The lynx hissed now, the fur around his neck standing up.
"I understand how many lives had to die for you bastards to even raise a single finger to help." Jared was breathing heavily, trying to keep himself in control as muddy brown fur ripped out over his arms and around his neck.
The lynx just bared his teeth. "Don't. Underestimate me. Just because I'm a messenger." The air around him seemed to crackle with energy. Jared could feel his hair standing up because of it.
"So you could have done something then!" Jared only countered, not backing down on this.
"What? No! That's not-," the lynx angrily replied.
"You can't go boasting about how strong and powerful and big dicked you are and NOT do anything when it's needed most!" Jared pointed one long, clawed finger at him now accusingly. "You can't have it both ways..." He glared coldly at the messenger now.
The lynx bite his tongue, clenching his fist and shaking. Then finally relaxed, the air calming down around him as he lowered his head. "I'm sorry... it was not my department." And he looked to the side, still clenching one hand tightly. "I did not even know about it until Qul stepped in to take care of the mess."
"Qul?" Jared only asked suspiciously, trying to see if they were the one he needed to direct his anger out. Unable to do anything himself, Jared was having an issue about the whole event.
"You must have seen him, he's... well gigantic." The lynx took a seat back at the table as things calmed down. Or rather, in the chairs as Jared had broken the table in half.
"Uh, sorry about that..." Jared offered one piece of the table to him but the lynx turned it down.
"The Serpent Dragon King, or so some have called him; Qul IS the definition of a storm." The messenger could only describe the serpent as such. "A raging tempest, the fury of nature itself." Jared recalled seeing the silver scales and green feathers of, something, that had dropped down from the dark clouds on the Titan that night. "He was the first to step in. Once he learned of what was truly going on. It is impressive that you lot even survived after witnessing his wrath."
"Well..." Jared didn't want to mention that they had tucked tail and ran for it. "We're a resilient bunch."
"Which is why Qul took an interest in you lot." The lynx brought up, crossing one leg and folding his arms. The felines ears twitched and he kept looking over at the other wolves who hadn't taken a seat with them. "You didn't think you'd go unnoticed after that, did you?"
"Well. Sort of. Yeah." Jared just shrugged, hopeful about it. It looked like his peaceful days of gardening were coming to an end.
"Originally, Qul wanted me to come here and take care of you." The lynx just chuckled along as the air became heavy again after his words. The other wolves were itching for a fight after the month-long break they had. "Kyrin convinced him otherwise; that you lot would have some use."
"And what do we get for being used like this?" Frostbite twitched a lip, trying to be good in front of Jared. Or he'd have his teeth around this cats neck and shaking him like a rag doll, demanding answers.
"Qul will overlooked you lot, for starts." The feline just glared back. "You don't want a hurricane blowing through here now do you? And... And Kyrin has promised," the lynx reluctantly told. "To leave give you pardon for past deeds."
"Past deeds?" Jared frowned a bit, trying to think what he had done recently.
"Well..." The lynx just looked back at the silver fur wolf. "More so, for members of your pack." Those cat eyes seemed to shine as if seeing the blood on the silver wolf's paws.
"As I said, we'll hear you out at least." Jared got up, walking over to get a fresh mug of coffee.
"It's a simple request. Beneath my skills," the lynx brought up as if to explain why he didn't do it himself before they could ask. "We have a rogue agent that went MIA after the attack up North. We know he's still at large due to... reasons." The lynx coughed in one hand, not meeting any of their eyes.
"Who and where?" Frostbite just asked, getting straight to the point. Jared had always liked Frostbite's straight forward nature, not one to sugar coat things.
"As you may know, we are working with the True Cross Church. The knights have been very helpful over the past millennium, give or take. The hunters in recent years have been of use as well. One of their members has disappeared however. Our intel has confirmed he has taken valuable research data with him." The lynx just finished with. "Find and eliminate him. Destroy the data. Easy, even for a couple of mongrels like you."
Frostbite snarled at that.
"Written confirmation that I and my pack will be left alone after its done." Jared laid out. "I also want this land, rightfully, given to me."
"Well..." The lynx frowned not expecting a wolf to want a contract. He figured their honor and an oral agreement would be enough. After all, that'd make sense why the gods would even offer such a thing to them. Just deny it later, without proof after all.
Jared figured if they wanted to act like bureaucrats, then getting a written contract would be easy to come by. Proof of their deal would also be valuable in case this issue ever came up in the future, something Jared was sure would.
Jared always hated politics.
"Well, you have the details enough." The lynx was heading out after handing the contract over. "We try not to deal with mortals often, they die too quick for my taste."
"I've already sent my best tracker on the job." Jared was talking about Sveil, the shadow wolf having been listening in on everything. "Once we get a written agreement of the contract, signed, we'll head move out."
Jared saw him towards the border of the cabin, his den. They didn't shake hands, just sizing each other up before the lynx finally turned away and headed out. There was no car or vehicle in sight but he was sure the lynx would be out of his territory the second he turned his back on him.
"Why even bother with this? Should've killed him." Frostbite was in one of his moods as he tailed after Jared who went back in for another mug of coffee.
"You don't kill the messenger." Jared rolled his eyes.
"Still." The silver fur wolf wasn't about to let this drop.
"For you." Jared finally admitted, turning around to face him. The silver fur wolf splayed his ears out at that. "And for Dakota. If both of you could get a clean record? A fresh start again? That'd be exactly what I was going for with all this." Jared motioned around the cabin. "A second chance for us. We'll have to face them eventually, anyways." Jared shrugged now pouring the rest of the coffee out. He frowned, looking inside to see if there was a caked in coffee mine.
His werewolf system didn't have the same affect with caffeine as his human one had; having to drink three to four cups for everyone from before.
"Sooner better than latter." Frostbite grumbled seeing where Jared was going with it.
"Yes, but this is on our terms. Well, mostly." Jared just laughed, whistling sharply. Moss Walker quickly came back in, so fast he ended up skidding right into the side of the sofa and knocking the lamp over. Jared knew the other wolves had been listening in.
"Yeah, boss?" Moss asked unable to stop the smile on his face.
"We'll be leaving here in a bit..." Jared just began walking over to clean up the broken lamp. "I'll need you to keep an eye on the place, and territory, for me while I'm gone."
Moss twitched at that, nearly fainting as he nodded vigorously. "You can count on me!"
"Keep the newbies in check, I would hate to have to come home and feed them to Dakota." Jared sighed at the thought, the wolf always made such a mess when he ate. "Where the hell is he anyways..."
Roughly the same time Dakota had regrouped with Jared, the lynx had found the other Blood Moon wolf up North.
Ambrose was still pissed and had torn apart the whole area he had been in to try and get some of his frustrations out. It only made it worse. He had been the stronger one! If Dakota hadn't pulled out that dirty below the belt sneak attack, he'd have just...
"Having issues, again, Ambrose?" The lynx had undone the top of his suit, giving his chest fluff some room to breathe as he walked into the clearing the wolf had made in the dense forest. The cat just looked around at the destruction. It looked like a group of bulldozers had been chasing after each other. "That time of the month again?" The cat teased the werewolf without fear.
"Shut it, cat." The wolf snarled at him. "I'm in no mood for your games."
"Doesn't matter if you are or aren't, so long as you do your damn job." The feline just replied coldly. One of his ears twitched and he sniffed the air. "I don't see the corpse of your dear brother."
Ambrose just gave a low growl.
"Don't tell me, you failed?" The cat laughed, covering his face and tilting his head back. "You had one job! The job you were bred to do! Filthy beast..."
The lynx didn't even flinch as Ambrose pounced, landing right in front of him and nearly choking the life out of the cat. The lynx could feel those nails touching his fur but not cutting his flesh.
"Careful now," the feline teased. "Anything happens to me and you end up right back where you came from." The lynx walked under the werewolf's arm and past. He tucked his hands back into the suit's pockets.
"Be worth it to wring your neck..." Ambrose warned, his shoulders deflating.
"Then who would revive your dead clan? That other wolf?" The lynx shook his head. "You need me more than I need you, remember that." And then he stopped, looking around once more. "What about the messenger the gods sent?"
Ambrose chuckled at that, licking his lips. "That. Has been taken care of already."
"Perfect," the cat practically purred. "The pawns are all set. Now we just need to make sure this game comes to a decisive end."
"And you had better keep your promise, cat." Ambrose just growled.
"Relax." The lynx wiped a hand over his face once more. "Once I am a God. You and your little clan will be revived to their former glory."
"It better be." Ambrose shook his head, following after him now.
"I care not, so long as I can get my vengeance..."